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With the alarm system disarmed, and safe in the knowledge that both staff and family have departed for Barbados, Luther makes his way to the master bedroom. Here a hidden vault is revealed, stuffed with precious jewellery, ornaments and money. Unfortunately Luther is disturbed just as he's finishing up, causing him to seek refuge in the vault. Through the two-way mirror, Luther sees a drunken Christy (Melora Hardin), the wife of Walter, lead an equally indisposed Alan Richmond (Gene Hackman) into the room. Rapidly engrossed in unsteady fumbling and a smatter of erotic teasing, the pair mess about in front of a fascinated (and repelled) Luther. However, when the play turns rough, Christy is forced to defend herself with a letter-opener. In a flash, Richmond's alarmed cries bring a pair of gunmen to the door, with the result that Christy is shot down.
Into the scene of carnage marches Gloria Russell (Judy Davis), President Richmond's Chief of Staff. Before Luther's astonished gaze, the Secret Service agents Bill Burton (Scott Glenn) and Tim Collin (Dennis Haysbert) are ordered to start cleaning up. Aiming to make the murder look like a robbery gone wrong (which is, ironically, what's happening), the trio scour the room for all traces of their presence. The problem is that Russell drops a vital piece of evidence (the bloody knife), which Luther steals before making his getaway. If only this had been a clean escape then no one would have been the wiser. As it is, Luther is spotted and rapidly made the subject of Detective Seth Frank's (Ed Harris) investigation. With limited options, Luther contacts his estranged daughter Kate (Laura Linney) in a bid to clear his name.
Disappointingly, Absolute Power is mediocre in so many areas that it's difficult to know where to begin. Perhaps the most fundamental problem is that Eastwood's direction is both uninspired and pedestrian. In contrast to the talent displayed in Unforgiven, here the story is fleshed out in a very join-the-dots fashion. Standard techniques, applied elsewhere to great success, simply have little effect. For example, tension can be straightforwardly heightened by flicking between two conflicting viewpoints, yet here the results are flat, damp. The blame cannot be entirely laid at Eastwood's door though, for he is lumbered by a frankly ludicrous screenplay. Riddled with holes and loose ends, the plot is so shambolic that any attempt at realism is thoroughly undermined. By failing to provide even a modicum of motivation, background or explanation, William Goldman creates a sequence of events which is implausible even for movies of this type.
When a film is as badly crippled as Absolute Power, there is sometimes the hope that truly outstanding performances will save the day. Again, though, the audience is let-down, particularly so considering the calibre of the principal actors. Fed hugely underwritten roles, the entire cast fail to shine. Eastwood lacks the authenticity which is the key to his success; he merely mouths his lines and flounders with his supposed affection for Kate. In opposition, Hackman is even more two-dimensional, unable to stir up the basic elements of villainy. Moving downwards, Davis is abysmal, veering wildly from calm authority to near-hysteria, while Glenn and Haysbert amount to nothing. The best of the bunch is probably Harris, fortunate in that he evades much of the obvious dialogue and manages to retain a veneer of competence. His romance with Linney goes nowhere though, sputtering to a halt when starved of oxygen. Lastly, there are many incidental parts, none of which have meaning or shed light upon the primary roles.
One of the best features of Absolute Power is that it makes you wonder what might have been, what the character's roots are and what drives them? Improved focus could have uncovered all of these complexities, yet every opportunity is squandered. It seems strange that Eastwood is content to include bizarre references, to the Watergate hotel for one, without addressing these basic needs, yet that's the result. With a colourless score, which fails to add texture or atmosphere, the final cut is something of a mess. So, does Absolute Power have any redeeming features? Well, it's not entirely boring. However, Eastwood does try to manipulate the audience into judging Luther as an honourable and decent man, when all he really amounts to is a long-standing criminal. Typical of the discrepancies which litter the movie, Absolute Power is not destined to be remembered with affection.
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